


Unseen Wounds

by alexcat



Series: 2020 Cap - Iron Man Bingo  (2) [2]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Angst, Comfort, M/M, Memories, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-22
Updated: 2021-01-22
Packaged: 2021-03-06 01:21:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 828
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25935112
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/alexcat/pseuds/alexcat
Summary: Tony's PTSD was apparent to everyone. Steve's, not so much.
Relationships: Steve Rogers/Tony Stark
Series: 2020 Cap - Iron Man Bingo  (2) [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1879633
Comments: 9
Kudos: 69
Collections: Captain America/Iron Man Bingo, Of Elves and Men





	Unseen Wounds

**Author's Note:**

> Cap Iron Man Bingo - 2020(2)  
> For the square - Post-traumatic Stress Disorder 
> 
> The title came from Army Psychologist Brig. General Loree Sutton: “We were not allowed to speak of the unseen wounds of war. We were not allowed to prepare for them.”

Tony knew _he_ was fucked up. Everyone else knew it, too. He had nightmares. He compulsively built suits and more suits and even suits that worked by themselves. He refused to discuss the battle of New York with anyone. Just having it mentioned made him tremble like a lost puppy. He moved fast and talked even faster. 

Nothing could be safer than to take refuge in Steve Rogers’ strong arms, right?

That’s just what he’d done. The odd flirtation they began before the mission had morphed into a full-blown love affair, complete with Steve spending most of his nights in Tony’s arms and in his bed. 

One night several months into their relationship, Tony woke suddenly and sat up in the bed. He was alone. He’d fallen asleep with his head on Steve’s shoulder. Besides being the sexiest man he’d ever met, Steve was big and warm and that seemed to ward off the worst of his nightmares. 

Tony figured Steve had gotten up and wandered into the kitchen for a late-night snack. That boy could eat like a horse! He got out of the bed and pulled on his flannel pajama pants and a t- shirt. He padded to the kitchen in those damned bunny slippers that Pepper had given him in retaliation for the giant stuffed bunny he’d given her once. 

No Steve. 

Odd, but okay. He did wander around sometimes at night, but usually Tony didn’t wake and only found evidence in the morning – dirty cereal bowls, books left on the kitchen table, things like that. He’d find him. He decided to try the gym. Surely Steve wouldn’t be down there so late, would he? It was 3 am. 

He took the elevator all the way down to the floor where the gym was. Steve had his own private little room for his punching bag. Tony had it put in when he realized how much time Steve spent working out. 

Tony opened the door and stopped and stared. Strewn all over the floor were bags in different levels of destruction. There was one hung up and Steve was flailing away at it, grunting with every blow. 

Tony started to speak as he got closer, but what he saw took the words from his mouth. Steve was completely wet from head to toe. Not a stitch of the sweats he wore were dry. He’d been at it so long that he was drenched in sweat. 

“Hey, Steve,” Tony said softly. “Maybe you’d better slow down a bit.” 

He got closer. Steve hands were bloody from beating the bags with his bare hands. He saw the wrappings he normally used lying on the floor, torn and bloody as well. His knuckles were torn and there was a smear of blood on his face where he’d wiped sweat away with his hand. 

“Steve?” he repeated softly as before as he slowly stepped closer. It was then that he saw the tears. 

Steve stopped punching and simply stood there with his hands hanging at his sides. Blood dripped to the floor. 

“Steve?” He took another step. 

Steve seemed almost catatonic as Tony got close enough to touch him. 

“Come sit with me?” Tony put a hand on Steve’s elbow and guided him over to a weight bench with enough room for them both to sit. 

He put am arm around Steve, realizing that he was getting wet just touching him. It didn’t matter right now. 

“What’s up?”

“I see the war when I close my eyes. I saw things at those HYDRA bases, things no man should ever see, much less do. I’m back there every time I sleep,” Steve told him. He didn’t even look at Tony, staring into space instead, as if he were looking at a film rolling in front of him. “They tortured people in the name of Nazi science.” He stopped, not saying anything at all for several seconds then he continued in a voice that was raw and hoarse. “We – there were people we killed rather than save. There was not enough human left in them. The only merciful thing was to shoot them.” He’d finished the sentence in a harsh whisper.

Tony didn’t say anything. What could he say? He just held onto Steve. 

“I can’t even describe -” he stopped, unable to say more about it. He continued in a moment. “When I found Bucky, I was scared we’d have to kill him, too, but he was just Buck, a little addled but still my best friend.”

Tony patted his back and said nothing. What was there to say? 

Steve didn’t cry other than the tears that seemed to fall unnoticed and unnoted. Tony continued to touch him, patting and smoothing his back, his shoulder. 

“Wanna come upstairs and let me clean those hands?” Tony finally asked him. 

Steve seemed to notice him again and he nodded and stood. He put his bloody hand in Tony’s and they walked to the elevator.

**Author's Note:**

> My [**Tumblr**](https://www.tumblr.com/blog/alexcat45).


End file.
